Chapter 3 Power Play

The protesters are getting closer and louder.

PROTESTORS

Hell no, witches GO! Hell no, witches GO!

Their signs bobbed like angry confetti in the air. Adam Kirage, still perched inside his mech suit like a theologian in a tank, raises his microphone.

ADAM

And it's only right we purge the land in the name of SCIENCE... uh... I mean, THE HOLY GOD! Just look at these four! Sodom and Gomorrah, that's all I'm saying! And this is what all your children will look like if you let this ABOMINATION of magic school get built. They will all be broke looking and stupid!

Chris snorts, and Seth rubbed his eyes, exhausted.

SETH

God, just shut up, please, Adam!

EDDIE

彼は本当に嫌な奴だ

(Subtitles: This guy's an asshole)

He gets smacked in the face by a hamburger.

EDDIE

A-ano...?

(Subtitles: Death to all infidels!)

SETH

They're throwing food at us?!

CHRIS

AWWW YEAH!!!

He spins the scepter with martial arts skill as he approaches the protestors.

CHRIS

BACK IT UP! BACK IT UP!

More food gets flung around, nearly hitting the boys.

CHRIS

Seth, hurry up and do something! The Sweet blood of Jesus got 'em ready to jack us up!

SETH

Right!

SETH

(Turns to the other two boys)

Ok! Eddie, why don't you and Rich go with Diaz to talk to the media?

RICHARD

(Groans)

WHAT? No! Please?

EDDIE

Jigoku Kesshite!

(Subtitles: Hell-to-the-NO!)

SETH

Don't Jiggy-jew kiss-whatever me, Eddie! You and Richard are charming; you can sell us to the media. And let's be honest, neither of you are that good at magic.

EDDIE

Charm? Baka! Did you not notice I'm black? If you put my face in the media to represent Absolution, they'll say the school got roaches, and we barbecue at lunch every day!

Chris laughs. Seth twists his lips, surprised by the comment.

EDDIE

If I'm the face of the school, no one rich will send their children here.

RICHARD

That's not true, Eddie! Most people are not that racist! And what's wrong with barbecue at school every day?

Whispers to himself, mystified by the concept.

RICHARD

That shit sounds turnt!

Seth gets slammed in the face with some flying spare ribs.

SETH

OW!

EDDIE

Come on, Seth! Let me be part of the attack! I know a way to get the Christians good without hurting anyone, I swear! My parents were Christians. I understand these guys.

Seth wipes some BBQ sauce off his face.

SETH

Fine! Whatever, let's just do this quick. I'm getting hungry.

He bends down, picks up the barbecue rib off the floor, and starts eating as he runs off towards Chris.

Eddie gives him a look of disgust and then follows after him.

Adam, still inside the mech, was ranting.

ADAM

And I want you to remember who helped lead the resistance against this hellspawn magic school! Somnix Corps-your friendly leaders in paranormal technology!

Chris raises the scepter. A long, intense stream of pink lightning shoots out from the pearl bulb atop it.

Seth hits a powerful chord on his guitar, making the lightning stream from the mech even more intense. The lightning crackles loudly and strikes the mech's leg.

BOOM!!!

The machine tilts as fire grows from the wound. A mechanical groan, and then it collapses.

The protestors scatter. Adam screams as an airbag inflates inside the crashing cockpit, saving him from serious injury.

Chris and Eddie fist-bumped. Seth chuckles. Adam curses and raves from inside the wreckage.

Richard, left alone, sighs sadly. The guys always seem to be having fun fighting together. However, he had to speak to the media all by himself. What a nightmare.

He looks over at the crowd of people apprehensively. Then gets lost for a moment in a memory that he can't quite remember...

SETH

RICH!

Richard snaps out of it and looks at Seth, who twerks his head towards the news people.

SETH

Go get 'em!

Richard rolls his eyes and groans again. But without another word, he starts sloshing over to the news people.

He gives one last wistful look to the other three boys battling in the food fight to capture souls.

Then, with his eyes back on the school, Richard sadly heads over to his fate.

Food continues to fly all over the place as the Camera pans to where Richard is heading. The Absolution Academy schoolhouse.

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